Palestinian teen killed after alleged West Bank knife attack

A Palestinian teen was shot dead Sunday by Israeli troops near the West Bank city of Nablus after allegedly trying to attack Israeli soldiers with a knife, the Israeli army and the Palestinian Health Ministry have said.

The Israeli army said in a statement that troops had shot the teen after the latter had attempted to stab soldiers stationed at the Bitot Junction south of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Health Ministry, for its part, identified the slain teen as 16-year-old Diab Abu al-Rub from the northern West Bank village of Qabatiya.

Qabatiya was recently subjected to an extended blockade by Israeli forces after three teens from the village killed an Israeli border guard – before being killed themselves – earlier this month in Jerusalem.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, since October 1 of last year, 180 Palestinians have been killed following alleged attacks on Israelis or during clashes with Israeli forces.

Over the same period, at least 30 Israelis and foreigners have been killed in the violence.